Hezekiah's Sickness and Recovery

38 (A)In those days Hezekiah became (B)sick and was at the point of death. And (C)Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him, and said to him, “Thus says the Lord: Set your house in order, for you shall die, you shall not recover.”[a] Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, and said, “Please, O Lord, remember how (D)I have walked before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.

Then the word of the Lord came to Isaiah: “Go and say to Hezekiah, Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will add (E)fifteen years to your life.[b] (F)I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and will defend this city.

“This shall be the sign to you from the Lord, that the Lord will do this thing that he has promised: (G)Behold, I will make the shadow cast by the declining sun on the dial of Ahaz turn back ten steps.” So the sun turned back on the dial the ten steps by which it had declined.[c]

A writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, after he had been sick and had recovered from his sickness:

10 I said, (H)In the middle[d] of my days
    I must depart;
I am consigned to the gates of Sheol
    for the rest of my years.
11 I said, I shall not see the Lord,
    the Lord (I)in the land of the living;
I shall look on man no more
    among the inhabitants of the world.
12 My dwelling is plucked up and removed from me
    (J)like a shepherd's tent;
(K)like a weaver (L)I have rolled up my life;
    (M)he cuts me off from the loom;
(N)from day to night you bring me to an end;
13     (O)I calmed myself[e] until morning;
like a lion (P)he breaks all my bones;
    from day to night you bring me to an end.

14 Like (Q)a swallow or a crane I chirp;
    (R)I moan like a dove.
(S)My eyes are weary with looking upward.
    O Lord, I am oppressed; (T)be my pledge of safety!
15 What shall I say? For he has spoken to me,
    and he himself has done it.
(U)I walk slowly all my years
    because of the bitterness of my soul.

16 (V)O Lord, by these things men live,
    and in all these is the life of my spirit.
    Oh restore me to health and make me live!
17 (W)Behold, it was for my welfare
    that I had great bitterness;
(X)but in love you have delivered my life
    from the pit of destruction,
(Y)for you have cast all my sins
    behind your back.
18 (Z)For Sheol does not thank you;
    death does not praise you;
those who go down to the pit do not hope
    for your faithfulness.
19 The living, the living, he thanks you,
    as I do this day;
(AA)the father makes known to the children
    your faithfulness.

20 The Lord will save me,
    and we will play my music on stringed instruments
all the days of our lives,
    (AB)at the house of the Lord.

21 (AC)Now Isaiah had said, “Let them take a cake of figs and apply it to the boil, that he may recover.” 22 Hezekiah also had said, “What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of the Lord?”

Envoys from Babylon

39 (AD)At that time Merodach-baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, (AE)sent envoys with letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that he had been sick and had recovered. And Hezekiah welcomed them gladly. And he showed them his treasure house, (AF)the silver, the gold, the spices, the precious oil, his whole armory, all that was found in his storehouses. (AG)There was nothing in his house or in all his realm that Hezekiah did not show them. Then Isaiah the prophet came to King Hezekiah, and said to him, “What did these men say? And from where did they come to you?” Hezekiah said, “They have come to me from a far country, from Babylon.” He said, “What have they seen in your house?” Hezekiah answered, “They have seen all that is in my house. There is nothing in my storehouses that I did not show them.”

Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the Lord of hosts: (AH)Behold, the days are coming, when all that is in your house, and that which your fathers have stored up till this day, shall be carried to Babylon. Nothing shall be left, says the Lord. (AI)And some of your own sons, who will come from you, whom you will father, shall be taken away, and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.” Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the Lord that you have spoken is good.” For he thought, (AJ)“There will be peace and security in my days.”

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 38:1 Or live; also verses 9, 21
  2. Isaiah 38:5 Hebrew to your days
  3. Isaiah 38:8 The meaning of the Hebrew verse is uncertain
  4. Isaiah 38:10 Or In the quiet
  5. Isaiah 38:13 Or (with Targum) I cried for help

Orderly Worship

26 What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has (A)a hymn, (B)a lesson, (C)a revelation, (D)a tongue, or (E)an interpretation. (F)Let all things be done for building up. 27 If any speak in (G)a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn, and let someone interpret. 28 But if there is no one to interpret, let each of them keep silent in church and speak to himself and to God. 29 Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others (H)weigh what is said. 30 If a revelation is made to another sitting there, (I)let the first be silent. 31 For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged, 32 and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets. 33 For God is not a God of (J)confusion but of peace.

As in (K)all the churches of the saints, 34 (L)the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but (M)should be in submission, as (N)the Law also says. 35 If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church.

36 Or was it from you that the word of God came? Or are you the only ones it has reached? 37 (O)If anyone thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowledge that the things I am writing to you are a command of the Lord. 38 If anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized. 39 So, my brothers, (P)earnestly desire to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. 40 (Q)But all things should be done decently and (R)in order.

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Give Thanks to the Lord, for He Is Good

106 (A)Praise the Lord!
(B)Oh give thanks to the Lord, (C)for he is good,
    (D)for his steadfast love endures forever!
Who can utter the mighty deeds of the Lord,
    or declare all his praise?
Blessed are they who observe justice,
    who (E)do righteousness at all times!

(F)Remember me, O Lord, when you show favor to your people;
    help me when you save them,[a]
that I may look upon the prosperity of your (G)chosen ones,
    that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation,
    that I may glory with your inheritance.

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 106:4 Or Remember me, O Lord, with the favor you show to your people; help me with your salvation

25 lest you learn his ways
    and entangle yourself in a snare.
26 Be not one of those who (A)give pledges,
    who put up security for debts.
27 If you have nothing with which to pay,
    why should (B)your bed be taken from under you?

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